Chasing the Median: A DC Titans Fanfiction
by lostbymidnight
Summary: When Dick kicks Jason out for a screwup on a mission, Garth and Rachel call him on his mistake.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note:** I do not own Titans or DC or any of that jazz. I also don't own Fall Out Boy or "Just One Yesterday" (the song used in this fic). Other than that, enjoy my weird first story. It's short but more chapters should be coming soon if you guys want them. Reviews are much appreciated.

Into the night we go :JDS:

* * *

_If Heaven's grief brings Hell's reign,_

_Then I'd trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday._

Jason's ears should probably have started bleeding by now. Thirty second Fall Out Boy song at full blast, Jason's ears should have fallen off. The earbuds were tight and slightly larger than comfortable, with the wires taped in more places than not, but Jason didn't really care right now, he just didn't want to think.

Dick on the other hand, Dick wanted him to think real hard, which in hindsight, maybe wasn't the best idea. But Dick, with his 'Jason Diagnosed' rage issues and impulsivity, didn't care about hindsight, just now sight. And now sight told Dick to stomp into that dirty room, clothes strewn all over the place, and rip the already falling apart earbuds out of Jason's ears.

Nobody wants their earbuds yanked out while they're listening to music, Dick and Jason both know that's a simple fact of life. And that's why Dick wants to do it. Because Jason was stupid. Because Jason put the team in danger. Because Jason needed to really think instead of drowning it all out. Because Garth was in the infirmary and he hasn't woken up. Because Dick needs someone to take it out on that's not only him.

So Dick marches into the room, that is surprisingly clean and organized for a teenager, and rips Jason's earbuds straight out of his oblivious ears and tossed them across the room. They are beyond repair broken before they even make it half way and Jason's phone goes with it. Dick hadn't meant to throw the phone, but it didn't hurt him. Jason on the other hand -

_I want to teach you a lesson in the worst kind of way._

Jason was up and tackling Dick within two seconds. Dick had expected it and tried to fight back, but maybe not as hard as he could. After all, Jason wasn't the only one who fucked up.

"Why the FUCK would you do that? Huh?" Jason sounded pissed, which Dick had expected, but that wasn't all there was. There was something else there but Dick couldn't pinpoint it. Pushing him onto the janky bed that Jason refused to give up, Dick felt some relief, but not as much as he thought there would be. This wasn't as satisfying as he thought it would be.

"What the hell? You think that's funny? What's your fuckin' game man?" Panic. There was a bit of panic in Jason's voice. Good. He should be panicking. The kid had endangered lives. He should feel it.

"You think you can get away with putting us all in danger? You coulda killed Garth! You might still kill Garth!" That came out a little harsher than Dick had meant, but he didn't mind Jason's little flinch away from him. It felt powerful. It didn't last long though, as Jason punched Dick right in the face. He knew it would bruise later, but right now he didn't care.

_Still I'd trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday._

"The fuck are you playing at?" It came with another punch towards Dick's face, which he blocked as he sent Jason flying over him into an old lamp. The crash was loud and Dick was sure the others had heard it.

"Get out." Dick didn't know he'd say it until he did. But Jason didn't complain, just grabbed a black backpack sitting by the door and walked away. Jason's earbuds sat in the corner, still playing a tune that was getting on Dick's nerves. He lifted his foot and slammed it down on the earbuds, relishing the harsh crack that emanated before the last warbled tune reached his ears.

_For just one yesterday._

The slam of the door could have woken the dead. Or the almost dead in Garth's case. He woke bleary eyed and in an unfamiliar room, which was enough to make him start freaking out. Also, he'd almost died, so he had the right to freak out. The beeping drowned out all his thoughts and just made his head hurt worse. Actually, all of Garth hurt worse right now.

A shadow moved quickly in the corner of Garth's vision quickly after the slam. It took Garth a minute to realize it was Rachel, and not an actual shadow. He could only catch parts of her conversation with Dick, but she didn't sound happy and he didn't sound in control.

"You what? ... a kid Dick ... he knows." Who knew what and what he knew Garth didn't know. A crash made Rachel yell louder and he almost couldn't understand it. But he did catch a name -

"Jason." Oh god. What did Jason do now? Him and Dick had a ... history Garth guessed he could put it. Two Robins in one room was never a good thing. Though, Garth would look good in a Robin suit. If Jason would only let him try it on. He would never let him try it on.

A crash brought him back to the conversation out side. Dick was losing control and Rachel might honestly kill him as far as Garth could tell. He looked around his smallish beige room that obviously wasn't meant to be a hospital. A drip sat in the corner and a long tube led into his right arm. His left arm was broken and it felt like a couple of his ribs were too. He lifted up the light purple blanket to see a large bandage over his stomach. There wasn't any blood on it yet, that he could see, so it was probably fine.

He felt like shit as soon as he sat up, but Garth knew he could take it, despite the small moan that escaped his mouth. He wasn't going to pull his IV out - he'd done it before and almost bled out, the movies do not prepare you for that - so as he sat up he leaned on the drip for support. It was bad support and felt as though it would break at any moment, but it was support and Garth would take it.

The door out of his room was pull not push, which Garth figured out as soon as he pushed for about five minutes. Well, not five minutes, but that sounded more dramatic to Garth than 10 seconds. As soon as he opened his door, a white China plate went flying and almost hit him in the face. Great, now Dick was trying to kill him too.

"He could have killed him! He could have -" Dick was cut off by a punch from Rachel. Garth smiled before being brought back to the fact that they may very well kill each other.

"He didn't. And you don't go and try to kill him after that. Damn Dick." Rachel looked almost sad and Garth knew she was worried for Dick. To be fair, Garth was worried for the man standing there, blood covering his face.

"What was I supposed to do? Huh?" He sounded almost desperate and that's what broke Garth.

"How bout not try to kill him?" Garth's voice was shaky and he felt sick as soon as he had spoken, but it did the job. Both Rachel and Dick turned to face him. Rachel immediately came to hug him and Garth winced as the pain in his ribs flared.

"Ahh. Ahh. Watch the ribs please." Rachel let go quickly and looked ashamed but Garth smiled. Dick looked down and Garth could almost see tears running down his face.

"What happened and why am I awake? Also, what'd you do to my plates?" Garth held up a piece of broken plate and pretended to look at it. "Nah, I think it'll be ok." He threw the piece of plate towards the table and it smashed further. With a pained shrug, Garth then looked back at Dick, waiting for an explanation.

"I kicked him out." Nice explanation Dick. Great explanation. Garth rolled his eyes: "And?"

"And he pushed him into a table." Rachel rolled her eyes, the darkness making its way into her voice.

"Oh great. I'm getting a snack." Garth's vision had begun to blur, but Dick and Rachel didn't need to know that. He made his way towards the rickety cupboards that nobody but Garth used and pulled out a protein bar. Dick and Rachel just stared at him.

"I'm getting a snack ... and Richard," he gestured towards Dick who looked up suddenly. "Is going to find Jason and apologize."

Dick looked as though he would retort but Garth's face changed his mind. Rachel raised her eyebrows as Dick continued to stand in one spot: "Now."

Dick looked almost surprised that Rachel and Garth had confronted him and Garth was secretly giddy with excitement that he hadn't backed out. He knew it was cliche, but he didn't want to lose this family again. Dick moved towards the door, looking back once to be sure he'd actually heard what he'd thought he'd heard before walking out and closing the door gently behind him.

Garth slumped, the excitement of confronting Dick leaving him and the spots in his vision taking over. Rachel was by his side and under his arm in less than three seconds, supporting him back through the (now push not pull) door and back to his janky bed. He closed his eyes, the pain overwhelming him again as his ribs hit the mattress. Dick better work it out with Jason, otherwise he was sure he would definitely kill him if Rachel didn't first.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Again, I don't own any of this. Trigger warning for suicidal thoughts and actions, also a panic attack. So if any of that will upset you, please don't read. I don't really know how this is going. I don't think it's great, but I'm mainly writing for me anyway so I don't really care. Sorry it's a bit short. I knew what I wanted to do in this chapter and it didn't really work out. Comments are much appreciated.

The city rumbled beneath Jason as he looked down from the top of the tower. He hadn't meant to come up here. I mean, why would he, but now that he was here, it was kind of peaceful. He looked down and smiled before telling himself that it was a bad idea. But Jason knew bad ideas were still ideas. And even one idea was better than none. His hand instinctively went to his thigh. They weren't new, at least not in the last week new, and Jason doubted they would start bleeding again. And to be fair, who would care if they did.

Jason heard a door open behind him and quickly shook out of his trance. If it was Dick, god did Jason want to punch his lights out.

Dick came onto the roof slowly. It was the last place he could check and he was about to give up. If Jason wasn't here, at least he could go back and tell Garth and Rachel that yes, he had searched for an hour, and no, he didn't find him. He sighed as he saw the figure sitting over the edge. Looks like Dick was gonna have to talk to the kid. Jason was up within seconds of the door opening and was heading in Dick's direction with a menace, which may have scared Dick a bit.

"The fuck do you think you are huh?" Jason spat at him, but this was new. This wasn't pure anger, and Jason almost looked like he was about to break. He would beat Dick up first, but then he would definitely break.

"Woah. I just came to tell you Garth woke up." That wasn't really true. Okay it was, but not fully. Jason took a small step back, almost a stumble, before regaining his defense.

"That's good. Still doesn't explain who the fuck you are to barge into my room like that," Jason took a wild punch, barely hitting him in the ribs. Dick wondered if he was drunk.

"Fuck you man". Jason shook his head and walked off before turning to throw a wrench from the floor at him. Dick dodged easily, but Jason was getting too close to the edge for his liking.

"Hey. Just come back inside. Garth wants to see you". Jason scoffed before shaking his head.

"Jason". Dick called after him. He was pretty sure the teenager was ignoring him, but he followed after anyway, just to be safe. Dick had been here before, and as much as he hated Jason right now, no one deserves to be alone while they're in that place.

"Just go Dick". The voice was hopeless and though he couldn't see the tears, Jason was crying. Dick moved a bit faster towards him. Jason was about a foot away from the ledge and looking down.

"Jason step the fuck away. Now". It came out more pleading than Dick had meant but Jason turned around anyway. It didn't last for long though, as he looked back towards the city streets.

"It is beautiful you know". The city, the lights, the fall. Dick knew what he was talking about for sure now. How could he have been this stupid, let it get this far? Was he that oblivious?

"Jason please". Dick was full of pleading now, but he had almost gotten to Jason. He was within three feet now. Now arm's length. Jason took a step forward to the very edge and jumped.

Or he had meant to. Dick grabbed tightly to Jason's shirt and pulled him in towards himself. Dick pulled Jason further towards the middle of the roof until there was something to lean on. Jason slid down the hard metal and silent tears fell down his face. Dick sighed.

"Why?" It has been a couple minutes and Jason's voice was raspy from crying.

"What?" Dick was taken aback.

"Why the fuck did you stop me?" Jason yelled this, and there was anger there. His voice broke and he cried again. Silent tears.

"No. I understood the question -". He wasn't listening and cut Dick off with a quiet breath: "Why didn't you just let me pay?"

"Because it's not your fault! It's not your fucking fault okay!" Dick didn't think he would say it. After all, Dick knew it was his fault, not Jason's, that Garth got hurt. It was just easier to blame someone else.

"It is. Believe whatever you want to, but it is". Jason stood up to leave and walked towards the door Dick had come up through before Dick grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

"Don't you ever try something like this again". Dick's voice trembled a little bit, and he hated it.

"Yes mom". Dick didn't smile at the sarcastic chuckle, though Jason did.

"I'm serious Jason". Dick was, for the first time in a while, scared for Jason. And Jason's "whatever" in response was far from reassuring.

"Don't tell anyone about this please". Jason was serious again and Dick could tell he regretted it now, though he still might not in the future. Dick nodded in agreement before following Jason down the stairs and back to the tower.

Rachel was sitting at the barstool, eating cereal out of a bowl obviously not meant for cereal. She looked up at Dick and Jason as they came in before proceeding to look back at her cereal. Jason walked off to his room, trying to avoid the whole talking to people thing.

He couldn't believe he'd gotten that close. He wasn't going to jump, was he? He did. He'd forgotten about it already, but he did jump. It came back to Jason in a flood as his eyes filled with tears and he sunk down in the bathroom. He'd promised he'd never get to that point. He'd promised so many people he'd be alright. But he wasn't. And now Dick knew. And now he would tell everyone. And now Garth might still die. And now -

And now he was breathing too hard. He couldn't take breaths and his vision was blurry. Luckily he was already on the floor, otherwise he would have collapsed. Why couldn't he breath? It was like his lungs wouldn't inflate. He needed to run, to get where he didn't know, but he needed to run. But Jason couldn't even stand right now so running was out of the question. Why couldn't he just breathe?

Slowly Jason shut what he pretty sure was the bathroom door. It still slammed harder than he'd meant it to, but at least it was closed. His heart was beating out of his chest and his arms shook in front of him.

Curled up in a ball, he gave into the darkness and fell asleep. Afterwards, Jason would amend that statement, he actually fainted, but right now, he embraced the blissful escape of sleep. It was like death.


End file.
